Fire hits Paradise mobile

Emergency crews were out in force to extinguish a fire at a mobile home in the Paradise Mobile Home Park on Boucherie Road on Christmas Eve.

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Neighbours around the home reported hearing a loud bang before the fire broke out.

"I was watching TV and I heard this big bang and I thought a tree had fallen onto the roof of my trailer," says Horst Schindle, who occupies the trailer next to the affected one.

"I went in the hallway and looked outside and saw this grass fire right next to the trailer."

Schindel says he doesn't know the origin of the bang.

Assistant Fire Chief, Darren Lee says the source of the bang is still undetermined.

"The add-on is a shop so there could have been something in there like flammable liquids or something," says Lee.

According to Lee, the fire appeared to have started on the outside of the home and spread inside.

"When (crews) arrived there was quite a bit of flame towards the back side of the home. They stretched a two-and-a-half inch attack line to the back of the home and were quickly able to knock the fire down with that," says Lee.

"It appears the fire started at the outside of the home . Once they were able to knock the main body of the fire down they were able to gain entry and did a primary search to make sure no one was inside at the time."

The home was not occupied at the time.

Neighbours insist nobody has lived in the home for quite some time.

"I bought this place a year ago and it has always been empty," says Schindel.

Neighbours say the home has been up for sale.

Lee says the fire was contained to the back of the home although the rest of the house did sustain extensive smoke damage.